If bridge closure, then mass transit.

hen, amelia, and rosa

I can't take credit for the idea, it was Amelia's dad, Judd's, suggestion that we ride the kids up to the nearest MAX station so he could take the kids over to school. But what a great way to start the day. Yes, it sort of sucks that in order to do so we have to leave the house to bike to the station about the same time I'd normally be waking Hen up to get ready for school. But, I didn't have to drive this morning! And the kids seemed to really enjoy biking to the station. It rained - not a problem for these Oregon children - and it was cold, but bikes! And morning! And light rails! Now I just have to remember to meet the wee one at the station around 4:15pm when they are expected back so we can ride home.

Nice days à la Global Warming

Saturday - Spent about four hours wondering around the neighborhood, stopping at Mike's (Hen got ice cream), the library, Blue Kangaroo Coffee Roasters, the game store right by the coffee shop, the church (for pirogies), and Portland Bottle Shop (for beer and wine), before heading home.

Sunday - Hopped on our bikes, rode over the treacherous Sellwood Bridge and over to Jola for breakfast, biked over to the river and built a fort at one beach spot, then made a fishing pole and searched for awesome rocks at another beach, met up with grandpa, played, rode over to Corbett Fish House for (a very early) dinner, and rode back home.

I love these days but worry about there being so many nice days in the middle of January.

Almost autumn day

I made Hen a cup of hot chocolate for breakfast this morning. Tonight, I have a winter pine scented candle burning next to my bed. But these 90+ degree days are making it difficult to believe fall starts tomorrow.

In other news, Hen completed a 20 mile bike ride today. We headed east on the Springwater Corridor and cycled all the way to Powell Butte Nature Park. The trails in there are awesome. We ran around, read a little Harry Potter, and had a snack before heading home. Along the way Hen stopped and saved 32 caterpillars who were bravely trying to cross the trail. That boy has a good heart.

I like my bike

I went for a lovely ride today.  (My route at google maps, if you're interested.)  Four hours out and back, including a couple of rests. 50 miles.

(50/4 = 12.5 mph -- I ride at an average pace.)

The hardest part is the climb from Troutdale (elevation 73 feet) to Corbett (elevation 2100 feet) over about 7 miles.  I would say most of the climb is the last 4 miles.

Still, I was pretty happy with myself b/c at the top I felt good (and by "top" I mean where I decided I'd had quite enough, thank you very much.) I was that full-of-energy tired.  Far enough was far enough though and I headed down hill.

The ride down was fun, I'll tell you that.  I don't normally enjoy super-speed but the road was clear, I felt I'd earned it and would be surprised if I dipped much below 40mph.

So yeah.  A nice bike.  If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.

(It's a Cannondale R1000; $2000 when I bought it 10 years ago for a 200 miler from Seattle to Portland -- Rick, was it really that long ago?)

Vehicular cycling in the rain

It has been about a month and a half since I started biking Hen to school and I am liking it. I don't appreciate the hills I have to tackle on my way up the mountain but everything else is pretty great. Darr is awesome and has been biking with me so I get off easy for the first three miles of the journey as he trailers Hen during our ride downtown. When we get to the nice hilly part, I take Hen and he jets off to work. Ah, me and the hills. What can I say? I hate them. Hate. Them. They are mean and big bullies and no good can come from them, unless you are traveling down them at high speeds. Then they are fun and they are your friends. Can I take a moment to tell you the story about how, during our half century Tour de Whidbey bike race, I got my bike up to 40 mph going downhill. 40 mph, people. On a frakken bike. I am just that awesome.

It takes us/me about an hour to get from our house to the school and I shave about 15 to 20 minutes off that on the ride home. Since it would be Crazy (with a capital "C" Cah-razy) to ride back home after dropping Hen off and then ride out there a second time in order to pick him up, I've been taking full advantage of TaborSpace. Sometimes I grab a carrot and zucchini muffin, sometimes I order a tall glass of o.j. and, heck, I've even napped there - setting my alarm clock so I wouldn't be late to pick up Hen. Did I mention there is free wi-fi and there are comfy couches? I'll say this, though, setting up your coffee shop with suggested donations instead of actual prices is genius. I paid $5 for a glass of o.j. because that is all I had on me. (They don't give change, you put your donation in the provided box.) And I don't have the balls to go in and ask for another glass of o.j. to even out the score. TaborSpace 1, Me 0.


Here's what I've learned/observed/etc. about biking so far...

1. Portland is awesome for biking what with all the sharrows and bike boulevards.
2. It is cold in the morning in November in Oregon. Often it is raining. This makes roads slippery.
3. The trees are shedding their leaves right now, which makes the road a bit treacherous for us bicyclists. If you're ever driving behind one and get pissed because he/she isn't riding closer to the curb, it is probably due to the huge pile of leaves there. Might as well be riding on ice with as much traction as I'm able to get when on those dang leaves.
4. I like using my turning signals. 
5. I have no problem taking a lane.
6. I will ride on the sidewalk if necessary. 
7. It takes a lot longer to stop when you have 50 pounds of trailer and kid attached to the back of your bike. 
8. If you do not have fenders and it is raining outside, your butt will get wet.
9. Second to hills, I hate headwind.
10. I really enjoy my bike. Her name is George.  
11. My toes are frozen by the time I get to the end of the Springwater Corridor near OMSI. It might be time to invest in new, weather-appropriate shoes.
12. Market Street and Stark Street are relatively flat and provide a much-needed reprieve from the never-ending climb up to Hen's school. There's a reason they don't call it Tabor Hill.
13. Your tires can and will get caught in the railroad tracks at some point and you can and will go down and it will hurt. I did that this morning, attempting to give an oncoming biker some space to cross I turned the wheel at exactly the wrong moment and angle and I crashed hard. Now, I am sporting a bruise on my arm (near the elbow) and on the palm of my hand. I fear a bruise on my thigh will follow shortly. The palm bruise is creeping me out. Turns out my palm hitting the unforgiving ground is defined as blunt trauma. I just brushed my arm against the blankets on my bed and it feels as if my arm is ON FIRE. Ouch. 
14. If you have a Darr of your own, he will be so excited you're biking again he'll do your bike maintenance and even buy things (like fenders and tires) and put them on your bike for you.
15. Hen eats lunch and naps in the trailer on the way home. The one time he didn't nap on the way home he had already napped on the way to school. Apparently, all we need to get this kid to sleep is to put him in a bike trailer.